Heat Pump Installation – Update for Installers

In May 2015, in response to the changes brought about by the much discussed ErP Directive, the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) published an update to its heat pump installation standard (MIS 3005 v4.3), and released a new Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCOP) calculator (MCS 026).

For installations under 45kW, the updated MCS installation standard for heat pumps will see the Heat Emitter Guide replaced with an online Seasonal Performance Factor calculator from the 26th March 2016.

The Ecodesign of the Energy-related Products directive (ErP) will apply to Space heaters, water heaters and combination heaters as well as water cylinders.

Products will have to meet minimum requirements for energy efficiency and maximum sound products and packages eg: a system comprising an air-to-water heat pump, temperature controller and solar thermal system – with capacities up to and including 70kW will also be required to display an energy label under the Energy Labeling Directive, which also comes into force.

The MCS has described the update to the heat pump installation standard MIS 3005 as “minor”, it does reflect the SCOP of heat pumps differently and introduces a new way to calculate the Seasonal Performance Factor (SPF) of installed systems.

The calculator is still being finalised. When it is available it will give MCS installers a new way of declaring the design SPF.

Under other changes, MCS installers will become MCS Contractors and have until 26th March 2016 to comply. Currently, the likely SPF is determined using the Heat Emitter Guide, and in future, installers will have to use a method based upon the new MCS SCOP calculator.

To comply with the ErP regulations, installers must also ensure they only install products meeting the new minimum efficiency requirements and provide customers with a ‘package’ energy label for their system (if required). Labels will be available to create and download, free of charge, from manufacturers’ websites.

Heat pump manufacturers who wish to retain their products on the MCS list will be required to provide product performance data to MCS, which will then appear in the calculator database.

Installers will then enter product and property information into an online calculator on the MCS website, which will estimate the system SPF and can ultimately be used to determine RHI eligibility.

MCS Installers have plenty of time to prepare themselves for these changes and they will still be able to use the Heat Emitter Guide and the current version of MIS 3005 (v4.1) prior to the 26th March 2016. After that, the new version of the standard and the SCOP calculator must be used.

The introduction of ErP and energy labelling is a significant step forward in providing performance data that is closer to the conditions found in the EU.